Yesterday Jessica offered some of her tips for building a budget-friendly pantry, which kicked off a discussion around budget shopping in general. Keeping a careful budget can be kind of a drag, but I really liked this comment from a reader on how she keeps it fun and something to look forward to.

I grew up eating low-fat yogurt. Not because I was afraid of fat, but because low-fat yogurt dominated the yogurt case. I grabbed it because it was the default option, and I rarely gave the fat content another thought.

Since I’m not a dietitian or a dentist or an expert on childhood obesity, I look at yogurt as a food to consume first and foremost for pleasure, and only second, for health. Food as medicine is a popular topic, and a worthy one, but it’s really not my professional or personal focus.

So what I’m about to say may surprise you: Despite the above caveat, I still think people who consume large quantities of yogurt should consider stocking up on (or making) big tubs of plain yogurt.

For years, the cereal aisle represented, to me at least, the bounty of the typical American grocery store. I mean, anyone who has lived outside the US for an extended period and then returns to our shores is often shocked at the sheer breadth and scope of offerings – the bright colors, the wide-ranging flavors, the smiling cartoon characters! Cereal was always the food we had in abundance more than any other.

Do you shop in Mexican or Latin American grocery stores? If not, you may be missing out on some good ingredients — not to mention good deals on groceries you usually buy elsewhere.

We sat down and talked to Top Chef Season 12 finalist Melissa King about some of her experiences with Mexican cuisine, and she shared with us some of the ingredients she always stocks up on when she's shopping in those stores!

During my years living in New York City I've made the rounds, shopping at nearly every major grocery store, trying to determine which ones really have good products, and more importantly, good values. While I discovered that there's not one perfect solution for the best or most inexpensive place to shop, I did find a few things that were — unexpectedly! — good deals at Whole Foods.